Changing the Rules
by bellachristiana
Summary: An Escape. A Rescue. Men with Guns. A Prince. One Destiny set in Stone, and One Yet to be Written. Everything you want in a Mafia Story.
1. Chapter 1

_Run. _

_Run. _

_Run. _

_Don't stop. _

_Breathe, no! Don't breathe. _

_Have to breathe or I die. _

_It hurts. _

_God, breathing hurts._

_Focus on anything but breathing. _

_Coughing. _

_Blood. Why is there blood?_

_Don't think, just run. _

_Tires squealing behind me. _

_God, he knows. _

_Run._

_Run. _

_Breathing hurts. _

_Lungs aren't working. _

_More blood. _

_Don't think about it!_

_Look around. _

_Find help. _

_What's around?_

_Darkness. _

_A bar. _

_Too risky. _

_Keep running._

_Look, Bella! Find somewhere to hide. _

_Can't hide. Hide and die. _

_Body is broken._

_Air is almost out. _

_Blood. _

_Find help! _

_A car. No, a limo._

_People getting in._

_Scream for help. _

_Can't. Just blood._

_Run._

_Get to the Limo._

_Yelling from behind. _

_It's him._

_He found me. _

_Limo is only hope. _

_What do I do?_

_Jump in before the door closes. _

_In. People talking. _

"_What the hell?" _

_They're trying to figure out what's going on. _

_Half-naked girl in their limo. _

_Bloody, broken and dying. _

_So many men._

_Suits. _

_Nice suits. _

_Guns._

_Guns?_

_Yes, guns. _

_Big guns. _

_Breathing too hard. _

_Say something. _

_Words won't come out ._

_Just blood. _

_A woman. _

_Blonde. _

_Beautiful. _

_Make eye contact._

_Focus._

_Show her the fear. _

_Her eyes are hard._

_No. They're softening. _

_Concern. _

_Yes. _

_Please._

_I need your concern. _

_The blonde is upset. _

_She's yelling at the men. _

_The big men, in the nice suits, with the big guns._

_She's brave. _

_Braver than me. _

_Hands on me. _

_Yelling. Everyone seems to be yelling. _

_Keep eye contact with her. _

_Say something._

_One word. _

_Just one word so she knows. _

_Blood._

_Try harder. _

"_Please."_

_Her eyes go wide._

_She gets it. _

_That's it. _

_All my air is gone. _

_My last word in this life. _

_Please. _

_I had so much more to say. _


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter One

Recovery

"The strongest hearts, have the most scars." -unknown

Bella wasn't dead. The pain she was in assured her of that.

Soft light beckoned her to open her eyes. She blinked a few times discovering quickly only one eye would obey her. The other was swollen shut. The room was fuzzy, but she could make out the image of a hospital room. A few more blinks and the room was clearer.

It was spacious and oddly, beautiful? It was definitely a hospital room, but it was somehow cozy? No, maybe the word was ritzy. It was a ritzy hospital room. It looked like a master suite that had been converted into a hospital room.

Black leather chairs and a loveseat that matched sat to the right of her bed. A solid oak nightstand was to the left. A black vase sat atop it, white calla lilies protruding beautifully from it.

When her eyes fell to the door at the edge of the room, Bella gasped. A tall man in a designer suite, stood there. His profile to her. His shaggy blonde hair curled around the ear she could see . He was handsome, if not fierce looking. His head snapped to her, her gasp not unnoticed.

Bella all but stopped breathing. On his handsome face was a severely jagged scar, running diagonally from his left eyebrow, through his nose and across his right cheek. It was healed, but it's angry reminisce would forever be a reminder to the handsome man. A reminder, she guessed, was exactly what the scar was intended to be.

On his neck, visible just above the black collar of his dress shirt, was another scar. This one ran along his neck and Adam's apple. A scar the size and shape of a noose.

It occurred to her that she should be terrified of the scarred man. After everything she's been through, waking up to a strange man in her hospital room, should have been throwing off warning signals.

It was his eyes that kept her from panicking. Ocean blue, there was such an overwhelming amount of empathy in them it made her shift uncomfortably under his stare.

He didn't move towards her. Instead he put up his hands as if in surrender. More scars. Some tiny, some long and deep. It was clear this man was battle tested. How many battles was anyone's guess.

"I'm not going to hurt you." The baritone of his voice didn't match his soft, empathetic eyes. It was deep, almost guttural. The kind of voice if heard in a dark alley, would send you running.

Bella froze "I've heard that before."

The man dropped his hands, his posture stayed erect. Like a soldier. Like an immovable force.

He pulled out his phone and sent off a text. Tucking it back into his suit jacket. Bella's eye catching the glint of gun metal as he closed his jacket .

"Fair enough. My name is Jasper. I've been ordered to keep you safe, and if I disobeyed that order I would forsake my life. Which, despite the look of me, I'm not inclined to do at the moment."

At the moment. Bella wondered at which moment he would be so inclined to forsake his life.

"Who ordered you?" She asked

Jasper shook his head. He wasn't going to give her anything.

"Have I been bought?" She whispered the question. Not making eye contact.

Jasper didn't bother playing dumb. He knew what she meant.

"No. We don't support the slave market. I was in the limo you crawled into."

The limo. Yes, she remembered now.

There was a knock at the door and Jasper turned away from her to answer. He moved aside and a delicate brunette came through the door. Her golden brown hair didn't move, as she made her way to Bella. Her face was a flawless masterpiece. Slight wrinkles at her eyes the only indicator of her age. She smiled softly and it was unnervingly calming. Bella couldn't remember the last time she'd felt calm.

"I'll leave you two. I'm right outside if you need anything." Jasper assured as he tipped his head to the women, never making eye contact.

After he left, the woman stared at the empty spot where he had stood. A sad expression on her face. She covered it up quickly when she turned to Bella.

"Hello, Isabella. My name is Esme. May I sit with you awhile?"

Bella nodded. Esme grabbed one of the black leather chairs and pushed it to the bed. Sitting down gracefully.

"You know my name?" Bella questioned

Esme smiled. "If it was anonymity you were after, I'm afraid you stumbled into the wrong limo."

"Didn't really have a choice." Bella countered

"Neither did we." Esme concluded

Despite herself. Bella smiled. When was the last time she smiled?

"How's your pain?" Esme asked

"Reminding me I almost died."

"Pain has a unique ability. It reminds us we're still alive, by making us wish we weren't." Esme reflected. Her eyes going once again to the closed door.

"So," Esme continued "Isabella Swan. Born to Charlie and Renée Swan. How did you come to be in the condition my family found you in? Or rather, the condition you were in when you found us?"

Bella chewed her lip, regretting the action immediately as blood from her wounded lips trickled down her chin.

Esme reacted reflectivity. Dabbing the blood with a cloth. "You'll need to break that habit, or your lips will never heal." She abolished gently.

Bella held the cloth to her lip, deciding to answer the question Esme asked. Though, Bella assumed she already knew the answer.

"I was taken a few weeks ago. Couple of guys, white van, guns, you know the drill." Bella answered flippantly

"Where did they take you from?"

"My home." Lie. She wanted to get a feel for how much Esme already knew.

By the look on her face, Bella guessed, Esme recognized the lie.

Esme took a deep breath. "Isabella, when I'm asking you questions, just assume I already know the answers. It will make this easier for both of us."

"If you already know the answers, why are you asking me?" Bella challenge

Esme's eyes narrowed a bit, and then softened. "I know you didn't choose our limo. It was your only option in your attempt to escape your pursuer. I'm afraid, darling girl, you managed to escape one dangerous situation only to end up in a whole new one. It doesn't have to be that way, if you tell the truth,

Bella asquenced. "When my parents died, I was 15, a ward of the state. The first foster home they sent me to, I overheard my guardians on the phone trying to find out how much I was worth. So, I ran. They never found me. I did pretty good on the streets for four years, but then the gun wielding van guys found me. They put a bag over my head, drove for a long time. They took me to an abandoned warehouse, so cliche. I thought it was strange, that it was just me, but then I realized I was special, they didn't want to lose track of me."

"Special how?" Esme interrupted.

"19 year old virgins are a hot commodity in the slave trade." Bella wiped away her treacherous tears.

Esme's delicate hand came to rest on Bella's.

"How did you escape?" She changed the subject and Bella was gretul.

"The two guys that took me, they called themselves J and S. They put a blindfold on me, kept my hands and feet bound. Except when S took pictures. Then, they'd unbind me and take off the blindfold. They'd have ski masks on while they gussied me up. Once the pictures were taken, everything went back on. J was always the one responsible for tying me up. When put the blindfold on he would whisper in my ear. He would say "I won't hurt you. If I can convince him, I'll make you mine." But, S sold me to the highest bidder pretty quickly, this made J furious. He wanted me for himself. He kept telling S that he had risked everything to help him and he deserved some compensation. S argued back that he was getting paid a small fortune.

They kept me in a room upstairs. Three flights. I counted them when they walked me up

They were nice enough to give some cardboard to sleep on. They even change it for me when it began to stink. I hadn't had the pleasure of a bath, and it was two weeks before my putrid smell became too much for the dynamic duos delicate sensibilities. They douced me in ice cold water, made me scrub down in front of them.

Gave me fresh cardboard though. It was almost bearable. They fed me every couple of days. Cold oatmeal and an orange. The orange was Js contribution. He said I needed the vitamins.

They argued about me a few more times. The night I found your family was the night before my bidder was to come and collect me.

I was sleeping, when I felt a hand over my mouth. It was J, I recognized his scent, musky too much cologne. It made me gag. He was untying my feet. I thought maybe...maybe he was going to let me go. Set me free. He was only untying my feet so he could spread my legs. I screamed under his hand. Begged him.

"It's better this way." He said. "They won't want you, and then I can take you away from here."

The asshole convinced himself raping me was rescuing me. He even had the nerve to ask me not to fight him.

"Stay still, baby. I'll make it good."

I was there for weeks. I was tired, starving and weak, but I still fought. His hands were everywhere. Like, he didn't know what he was doing, or he didn't know what he wanted to do first. When he reached my underwear, I knew, I knew it was my last chance."

Bella paused, catching her breath. Everything was still fresh in her mind. She could smell J's breath. Feel the weight of him on top of her. Esme squeezed her hand and waited patiently for her to continue.

"I moaned. That's how I got him to slow down. I moaned like I was enjoying his filthy hands on me. It worked. He slowed down. Took his time. I kissed him. God help me, I kissed that sadistic bastard. Oh, he loved it. I put my lips to his ear and told him to untie my hands. "I want to touch you." He bought it. I still had my blindfold on. He wouldn't take it off. His face wasn't covered. As soon as my hands were free I ran them down his stomach and undid his pants. I rubbed him a couple of times then went for his balls. It was my only chance. With everything I had I pulled. He screamed bloody murder and I felt them rip. He fell off me and I ran.

I tore off my blindfold, just not in time. The stairs. In my rush I had forgotten about them. Down I went. Three flights. I felt every step I hit. In my legs. In my ribs. Then the hard landing on the concrete at the bottom, where my whole body shattered.

I didn't have time to wallow in my pain. J was still screaming and I knew S would be coming before too long. I got up. Found the way out, and ran.

Bella was out of breath, sweat accumulated at her forehead and upper lip. Any pain meds she might have been on were fading fast.

"I heard the squeal of tires and I knew it was S. I ran as hard as I could. Then the limo appeared and the rest is history."

She chanced a glance st Esme, to her surprise, she found her smiling, a twinkle in her eye and a righteous air about her.

"No Knight in shining armor needed. Isabella Swan is the hero of her own story."

Bella blushed. "I don't know about that. I vaguely recall a beautiful blonde woman in a limo. I'm pretty sure she's the reason I'm alive."

"A lot of people have accused Rosalie of being a lot of things, but a hero has never been one of them." Esme replied, a smirk on her face

"Is she here?" Wherever here is, Bella thought

"I'll tell her you asked after her." Esme stood, putting the chair back exactly where she got it. She smoothed out her unwrinkled pant suit.

"It's not many women that could go through something like that, and live to tell about it. I only know of one other, her ordel wasn't near what yours was, but still." She looked again at the door.

"You'll stay here until you're fully recovered, after that, we can discuss things further. You're safe here, Isabella."

"Where is here?" Bella asked

Esme was already to the door before she answered. "You're currently recovering one of the master bedrooms of an undisclosed fortress. Guarded and heavily fortified."

"A fortress?" Bella questioned "does that mean there's a King somewhere?" She joked

Esme smirked "Indeed, darling girl. A prince as well. Now, that little button by your hand will administer pain meds directly into your system. That button on your bed is to call the nurse, but the doctor will be in shortly."

Bella nodded.

As soon as she was gone Jasper returned, taking up his post by Bella's door.

"If this place is a fortress, why do I need a guard?"

Jasper didn't look at her when he answered. "We don't leave the vulnerable unprotected, no matter how safe we feel." He rubbed the scar on his cheek.

Safe. Did Bella feel safe. She had no idea. All she felt was pain. She held the little white device in her hand, contemplating pushing it. The meds would ease her pain. Probably put her to sleep. She knew how vulnerable it made her to fall asleep.

"Push the button, Bella. Nobody will hurt you. Not on my watch."

"And when is your watch over?" She asked incredulously.

He looked at her this time. "When you're fully recovered, and not a moment before."

Bella pushed the button


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 2**

**The King**

It was two weeks into her recovery when Bella first met Carlisle. He came in without knocking. Jasper must have known because he didn't stop him at the door.

An imposing figure he stood at least 6'4. He was broad shouldered and lean muscled. His short blonde hair was worn slightly slicked backed. His ocean blue eyes were piercing as they scanned the room and then Bella. He had porcelain skin, sharp cheekbones and a chiseled jaw. He wore a dark blue, custom fit suit that fit him like a glove. There was a matte black wedding band on his left hand and a black insignia ring with a gold wolf on his right.

Bella's reaction to him was immediate and involuntarily. She slid further down in her hospital bed and brought her blanket up to her chin.

"You've no need to fear me, little one. I mean you no harm." His voice had a smooth tinder, a stark contrast to Jaspers gravel laden base. His words seemed sincere but there was an air about this man that demanded submission and respect.

Bella's eyes flicked to Jasper and she visibly blanched when she saw he was leaving.

"Vertu. Hún er öruggari með þig hér." (Stay. She feels safer with you here)Carlisle was looking at Bella, but his words were meant for Jasper, who stopped in his tracks and went back to his post by the door.

The language was obviously foreign to Bella, so much so she couldn't even begin to guess the origins.

Carlisle dragged the same chair Esme had used when she visited, over to Bella's bedside. He sat, back ramrod straight. He didn't look uncomfortable, but he wasn't relaxed either.

"My name is Carlisle. Esme thought it time for us to meet. She's told me your harrowing story. I must say, I find you quite fascinating. Tell me, little one, what do want now that you are recovering and safe? You were living on the streets when those pigs found you, yet you battled for your freedom, and what is it you want now that you have it?" He sat back in the chair, waiting for her answer.

Bella sat up, inbolden by Jaspers presence. "Are you implying, Sir, that I had nothing to fight for? So what was the point?"

Carlisle didn't answer. His eyes narrowed.

"No matter how low a person has fallen, Sir, their rights to their body and their lives still remain theirs. If I'd chosen to sell myself on the streets, that would have been my choice, no one has the right to take my choices from me."

She tried to put on a bold face, but her voice trembled at the end of her tirade. Making her feel weak.

Carlisle relaxed further in the chair and sat with his hands tented under his chin.

"So, in your opinion, there is a difference between a woman who decides to sell her body out of desperation, and one that is forced too. The difference being choice?"

Bella nodded, and Carlisle continued

"Some might argue having to choose between starving to death on the streets or selling one's body, is not much of a choice."

Bella winced "A hard choice, yes. But, still a choice. I lived on the streets for years, I never had to resort to that."

It was Carlisle turn to nod. "Indeed, though, you were quite malnourished when you came here. How much longer until you made that choice?"

Bella shook her head "Never, Sir."

Carlisle sat up straight once again, "You would have died rather than resort to that?"

Bella glanced down at her hands. His eyes were too intense, his gaze too penetrating. "I almost did."

For the first time since he arrived, Carlisle looked at Jasper "she's a hermaður." (Warrior)

Jasper didn't look at Carlisle when he spoke "Einmitt. Sterkari en flestir." (Indeed. Stronger than most)

Carlisle stood and Bella fought back the urge to cower.

"I'd like to come visit you again. If that's alright?"

Bella doubted she had much say in the matter, so she just nodded her consent.

As he went to leave the room, Carlisle stopped in front of Jasper, and in a surprising and almost intimate move, he placed his fingers under the soldier's chin and raised his head up, to meet Carlisle eyes.

"Pú ert líka stríðsmaður, samt virðist þú hafa gleymt." (You are a Warrior as well, though, you seem to have forgotten)

It took everything thing in Jasper's power not to shake off Carlisle fingers, nobody touched Jasper, not ever. His tough exterior allotted him a wide berth from most people. However, the man in front of him was not most people.

"Ég á ekki skilið þann titil. Ég hef brugðist þér. Ég hef brugðist þessari fjölskyldu." (I do not deserve that title. I have failed you. I have failed this family.)

When Jasper spoke, Bella had no idea what he was saying, but she understood perfectly the sorrow in his voice.

Carlisle glanced back at Bella, clearly debating continuing.

"Stríðsmenn mistakast, Jasper. Það er það sem þeir gera eftir að þeir mistakast, sem ákvarðar hvort þeir eru enn stríðsmenn." (Warriors fail, Jasper. It's what they do after they fail that determines whether or not they are still warriors.)

Subconsciously, Jasper's hand went to his neck, rubbing at the scar. Carlisle glanced at the movement, but made no further comment. He dropped his hand, and with one final penetrating look at Jasper, he left the room.

Bella waited a moment before disrupting the silence. She had so many questions, but the tortured look on Jaspers face made her feel like a voyeur. She turned away to give him a moment before she spoke.

"Jasper, are you okay?" She asked

"Okay is the best I can ever be." Jasper growled.

She quickly changed the subject "What language were you and Carlisle speaking?"

He hesitated before answering, "Icelandic."

"I don't know that I've ever heard Icelandic before, it's beautiful. Are you from Iceland?"

While they seemed to speak the language fluently, she didn't pick up on an accent.

Jasper answered her with trepidation, "No, but our roots can be traced back there for generations. Our families made sure we knew the language of our ancestors, in turn, Carlisle made sure we learned."

Bella cocked her head at the soldier trying to put the bits of the puzzle together. Then she smiled "You're Vikings." It wasn't a question.

Jasper didn't confirm verbally, just gave her the slightest nod of his head.

"No more questions, Bella. Rest."

Bella nodded. _Real modern day vikings, _she thought to herself.

All at once the pieces snapped into place, and she was transported to a memory. It was a miserable, cold, rainy day in Seattle and Bella was seeking shelter in the public library. The women that worked there never gave her a hard time. Probably because she stayed quiet and out of the way. On this day she was drinking a lukewarm coffee someone left on a table, right next to it was a discarded newspaper. Bella happily sipped as she perused the paper. The head line. That's what she was remembering

_**The Mafia King of Seattle, Carlisle Cullen, helps investigators take down local sex ring. **_

Bella's eyes flew open. Carlisle was an unusual name, Esme had said there was king living here. Esme's words came rushing back to Bella "_I'm afraid, darling girl, you managed to escape one dangerous situation only to end up in a whole new one."_

And just like that, Bella came to the startling realization that she was in the home of the Cullen family. The Wolves of Seattle. The underground equivalent of modern day royalty.

Her heart raced and without thought she flung her covers off, and for the first time since her body-breaking trip down the stairs, she tried to stand, as soon as she put weight on her legs, she fell.

Jasper rushed to her barely making it in time to catch her before she hit the floor. Bella, was trying to free herself from Jaspers tight grip, but it all for not. She was still weak, and he entirely too strong.

"Bella, what the hell is going on? Calm down." he had her back in bed in one swift movement. She was too broken still to put up a fight. So, she did the only thing her body would allow. She cried. She cried and Jasper held her, and even though her mind was telling her not to let this criminal touch her, she let him, she clung to him, and when she couldn't cry anymore, she still clung to him.

She didn't know Jasper had pushed the button dispensing her pain medicine into her veins, but she felt the immediate effects. Welcoming the narcotic induced oblivion.

_**AN: A little note from me to you. I studied Viking culture and customs, a lot of what we know about Viking culture has been misconstrued through the centuries. I hope you all love this story as much as I love writing it. A chapter or two a month is all I can promise for now. I want to make sure each chapter is edited to the best of my abilities. Love you! **_


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